Work Holiday Parties/Events

[5kcandlesinthewind]

What does your office/department do?

We just got the invite for our department's holiday party. At my boss's house. In Newton. On a Friday night. And they're not providing transportation. Apparently, multiple people pointed out that this wasn't a good idea, and that we all prefer having a party a)in the Square, and b)during work hours, but she insisted on it. Yeah, I'll be skipping it.

The school as a whole has a big party a couple of weeks later that I usually go to for a bit. They've scaled it back a lot since I started - there used to be SO MUCH FOOD, but it's still a good time. Well, as long as you get to the bar early.

The good thing this year, though, is that my department is organizing a group to volunteer at christmasinthecity.org/ the week before Christmas. Our department volunteered at Pine Street Inn a few years ago, and we've been asking to try and make it happen again sometime. So when a friend of mine mentioned she was volunteering at CitC again this year, I looked into, and after MUCH haranguing, they agreed to let us do this. There's a pretty good sized group of us going on that Monday to help distribute toys to the parents who couldn't make it to the party on Sunday. I can't wait.

[hellzkitten]

We used to have huge parties at one of our bars/restaurants with live music, great food & drinks. Then it turned into a during the day thing with ice skating at Fenway Park - still fun... but the past 2 years it has been lunch at one of our restaurants... meh. Not as much fun.

[vtdiamond]

My office does a very low key holiday party. We have a potluck in a conference room during work hours with a yankee swap.

Having worked in healthcare and for a university, unfortunately it's kind of what I've come to expect.

[vtdiamond]

Good point Rock!

I just wish at least one year to have the fancy party with great food and booze :drink:

[5kcandlesinthewind]

Nov 15, 2012 12:30:49 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

Nov 15, 2012 11:15:24 GMT -5 vtdiamond said:

My office does a very low key holiday party. We have a potluck in a conference room during work hours with a yankee swap.

I would kind of prefer an informal, in-office thing during work hours. I don't really want to spend an evening getting dolled up for forced social time. But that's probably because I don't feel particularly tight with my co-workers.

Same here. We've done some great lower-key parties during work hours. And ours isn't even a formal thing; I just don't want to give up my free time to spend more time with work people. And trudge out to Newton to do it.

[pinkroses]

My department has a fancy cocktails and appetizers party on a Friday night, and we also have an informal cookies and yankee swap party in the conference room during a workday the week before Christmas. My H and I always go to the fancy party. I enjoy socializing with my coworkers and the food is always great!

[noodleoo]

My company does a party like every other year. The last one they rented out a nice restaurant, great food and open bar. We recently hired a few younger people, and wow, they got SMASHED!!! One girl actually fell down from being drunk. It was pretty sad and there was tons of gossip the next day. I hope our next one is as interesting.